State farm last year quietly opened a storefront in Chicago's trendy Lincoln Park. There's nothing about the location to suggest insurance; a peek inside reveals a coffee bar, comfy furniture and young java drinkers working on their laptops—just like any Starbucks.

But beneath the surface, Next Door is more than a bunch of baristas. Drop by the store's website (www.nextdoorchi.com), and you won't find a lot of overt references to insurance. Tabs highlight “Coaching,” “Classes” and “Community”; and the Gallery section urges visitors to “Snag a Seat” and to “Connect & Chillax.”

Dig deeper and you'll see that the location offers meeting space for people in the neighborhood, as well as free financial-education classes on subjects as diverse as writing a business plan, burglar-proofing an apartment or doing taxes.

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